320 THE VEGETABLE WORLD. 
and of Hymenza is perhaps a monument one thousand years old; 
and remembering that the Dragon-tree of Orotava is of very slow 
growth—that its appearance now differs very slightly from the 
same tree described four hundred years ago—we may conclude 
that it is extremely aged. It is, without contradiction, with the 
_ Baobab, perhaps the most ancient inhabitant of our planet. 
“Tt is very singular,” he adds, “that the Dragon-tree has been 
cultivated from very remote times in the Canaries, in the islands 
of Madeira and Porto Santo, although it must have come from 
the East Indies, a fact which contradicts the assertion of those 
who would represent the Guanchos as an Atlantic race, entirely 
isolated and as having no connection with the Asiatic or Afr ™ 
- races.” ; . 
The Draceneare evergreens, either of a shrubby or arboraceous | 
nature, having long slender stems, often columner after the aia 
of the palms; their trunks present marks, cicatures produced by 
fallen leaves ; they are soft and cellular at the centre, witha circle: 
of stringy fibres towards the exterior. The leaves are simple, ee 
in some of the species, instead of the veins runnin 
The structure of the stem and leaves is interesting, hen 
genera Clathraria and Sternbergia have been compared to 1’ 
c@n@, the former by Adolphe Brongniart, and the latter by: 
Lindley. | a 
The Axtsmazzs, including the Buromace®, ALIsMACE™ : 
TANCAGENACE®, conclude the important class of Endogens* 
Lindley’s arrangement of the Vegetable Kingdom. i 
macex are made interesting to us by the Flowering Rush, 
the handsomest flowering plant of indigenous birth. = : 
The Li1arzs are distinguished by their complete mes 
from the ovary, by their sepals and petals being equally ee 
by their delicate and well-developed flowers, and by their abun® 
of albumen. In the Gilliesacee they approach the Alismace® i 
true Lilies have some slight resemblance to the Rushes. fs 
of some of them, as Yucca and Dracena, arranges itself 1” 
indicating a tendency to approach the great class of Hx0g* 
